Jacobs, Helen

Helen Jacobs (b. 1929)

Contents

Aotearoa NZ Poetry Sound Archive (2004):

CD19

1. To Butterfly
2. Meetings
3. Beans and Moonbeams
4. In The Belly of My Daughter
5. Threads
6. Apricots
7. Small Things
8. Without Icons
9. Day Moon and Wind
10. Jar and Water
11. The Usefulness of Singing
12. Wellington Revisited [1-3]
13. The River
14. Boy and Boat
15. Hard Edge
16. from Poems for Children:
Cooking
Melting Snow
Attics
Puddles
Dinner

Bio / Bibliography:

Helen Jacobs is the writing name of Elaine Jakobsson.

Born 1929 in Patea, one of five children, and grew up in the railway settlement there. Educated at local schools. Completed a BA degree from Canterbury University College in 1950. Married 1954 and lived in Eastbourne for thirty-six years before living briefly in the Wairarapa for three years growing a large garden and then, since 1994, back to Christchurch.

From play centre days onwards always involved in community activities and environmental issues related to Wellington and Eastbourne. A founding member of the East Harbour Environmental Association 1973. In 1974 elected to the Eastbourne Borough Council, becoming mayor from 1980-86. Founded the Eastbourne Arts Trust in 1981 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the borough and chaired it for ten years. Chaired the Regional Committee of Hutt Regional Community Mental Health Services 1983-86. Active in the Women's Electoral Lobby from 1976. After retiring from the mayoralty in 1986 appointed to the Planning Tribunal for five years. Retired at the end of 1991. Currently chair the Canterbury Poets Collective and am secretary of the Fendalton Park Croquet Club.

Began writing poetry about 1976 in the spaces of a busy public life.

Four collections of poetry:

1984 THIS CORDING, THIS ARTERY - Blackberry Press.
1994 WIND QUICK - Hazard Press.
1997 POOLS OVER STONE - Sudden Valley Press.
1999 THE USEFULNESS OF SINGING - Sudden Valley Press.

Work included in anthologies:

"Yellow Pencils", "Voiceprints 2", "The Old man And So On", "Throwing The Words", "Half Light And High Wind", "Five Wairarapa Poets", "Oxford Anthology Of Love Poems" 2000, "Essential NZ Poems" 2001.

Poems have been published in many New Zealand magazines and also in Canada and Australia.

Private collection of poetry written for my twin grandsons and other special children.

Prose:

A PLACE TO PLAY for the Play Centre Federation published 1975